While volunteer surf life savers were dealing with the tragedy of discovering the body of a missing teenager at Cabarita Beach yesterday morning, only a few kilometres up the road, surf life savers were saving the life of a man who had collapsed in front of the surf club at Kingscliff.
Jan Gielis, one of Cudgen Headland’s senior and most-experienced members, along with Chris Watson, the club’s secretary manager, and Quinton Hughes were called to the aid of a gentleman who was found on the ground and not breathing in the car park of the surf club. The club members called on their first aid skills and administered CPR for several minutes, until the man began breathing again. They monitored the man’s condition until the ambulance arrived.
The Far North Coast Branch Surf Life Saving director of education, Brian Lewis, says the volunteers have done the club proud.
‘The actions of these people reflects the effort and quality of training that our trainers and assessors provide to all our members. Chris Watson only obtained his first aid and Advanced Resuscitation qualifications in June, so it’s great to see the training has paid off,’ he said.
‘Good news stories like this really remind surf life savers why we are here.’
The club also thanked the builders who were on site and positioned one of their tents over the man during the resuscitation effort, as it was raining.
